1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for taping electronic components, having at least two leads extending from the body thereof in the same direction, in a substantially axial lead configuration between two pairs of continuous ribbons of adhesive tape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of electronic component insertion devices, there are many machines which will insert components having axial leads. The older machines include a bin storage taking one component at a time and inserting it into a printed circuit board. The newer machines utilize electronic components which are sequenced and taped and then placed on a continuous roll to be fed into the newer insertion machines. By taping components in sequence or order, the machine can proceed without using a plurality of supply stages.
Though there are a large number of machines which will tape, sequence and insert axial lead electrical components, there are very few machines which will tape or sequence or insert electronic components whose leads are not axial. Two major examples of non-axial lead components are transistors and disc capacitors. An example of a machine which will tape transistors for later use and insertion in a machine is U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,089, dated Oct. 26, 1971. This patent is assigned to Universal Instruments Corporation, assignee of the present invention. This patent also exemplifies the processing of loose electrical components from a bin to a sequential tape. Further, a machine which will tape and sequence disc capacitors in their non-axial lead configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,026, dated Apr. 15, 1975, which is also assigned to Universal Instruments Corporation.
Electronic components, for convenience and component handling, are presently being shown in some form of packaging. This form of packaging is generally a manufacturing strip having the components attached thereto, as shown for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,375. Because of the present state of the art of the electric component shipping and packaging strips, there is a need for a machine which can process the electronic components from the manufacturing strips in a non-axial lead configuration into a taped sequence of components in a substantial axial lead configuration for use in a standard axial lead electronic component insertion device of the prior art.